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11 reasons to escape the Austin bustle with a day trip to Dripping Springs

JUST WEST OF WEIRD

Treaty Oak Distilling Facebook

As a Dripping Springs native, I like to think I know it pretty well. The town has come a long way from being known as the place “just west of weird," exploding in recent years into a suburb of Austin (though many would frown upon that designation). If you’re driving on Highway 290, viewing the Dripping Springs water tower with its “Gateway to the Hill Country” motto in bold letters serves as a personal welcome for residents and newcomers alike.

Despite the rapid recent growth in the Austin area, Dripping Springs still has many of the small-town features that its local residents — and transplants — all love. Many of the culinary staples I enjoyed as a teenager are still thriving, years after the COVID-19 pandemic threatened local businesses statewide. The annual April Founders Day Festival has been a must-see for families for decades.

With Austin's festival season officially in full swing (you know, the one that lasts eight months), anyone looking to escape the busyness or find a new day trip spot should consider these 11 places to visit in Dripping Springs.

Where to Eat

Homespun Kitchen & Bar
Homespun is a farm-to-table American restaurant with European influences that serves brunch, lunch, and dinner with live music and kid-friendly spaces. Chef Michael St. Germain is behind all menu choices, applying his experience from San Francisco restaurants and bringing critical acclaim for his burgers, according to the restaurant's website. With weekday specials, fresh-made desserts and over 300 whiskeys to choose from, there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy. Reserve at homespunkitchenandbar.com.

Oak Creek Cafe
Who can say no to some good Southern comfort food? Oak Creek Cafe has been operating at the corner of Sportplex Drive and Highway 290 for several years. Must-try menu items include the chicken fried steaks, biscuits and gravy, and mushroom Swiss burger. The cafe regularly posts photos of its large plates of comfort food on Facebook, and Google reviewers love it as a breakfast spot above all.

Rolling in Thyme & Dough
A personal favorite: Rolling in Thyme & Dough’s original Highway 290 location is in the center of Dripping Springs, offering delicious pastries, breakfast, and lunch options. Fan favorites include the smoky chipotle breakfast sandwich, the TX two-step sandwich for lunch, and any of the freshly-baked pastries. They also have weekly BYOB bistro nights on Wednesdays in the spring, utilizing fresh ingredients from the Dripping Springs Farmers Market.

Mazama Coffee Co
Since its founding in 2012, Dripping Springs’ first independent coffee shop has been caffeinating the town for over a decade. They micro-roast their own beans from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Brazil. They also have a bakery to provide customers with well-loved baked goods and lunch. Mazama’s was named the Best Coffee Shop of Dripping Springs from 2018-2021, according to their site.

The Great British Baking Company
This cozy food spot is a newer addition to Mercer Street. The Great British Baking Company adds to the growing food culture in town with their homemade sticky toffee pudding, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, and rotating soups. All of their menu items are made right behind the checkout counter in their open kitchen. Don’t forget to browse their selection of imported British goods, and make sure to take home a parfait or chocolate mousse in a jar.

What to Do

Dripping Springs Chocolate Company
The Wilson family created their chocolate business as a way to support local economies in Nicaragua after a family mission trip. In their mission statement, they aim to create the best chocolate while “improv[ing] the lives of the farmers and communities that grow the cacao.” They’ve since expanded their initial chocolate offerings to spice rubs, dessert and hot cocoa mixes, and chocolate-covered snacks.

The Sated Sheep
As a self-described “psychologist-turned-fiber-junkie,” this yarn shop owner has created her own community surrounding fiber crafts and a love of knitting. Allison’s shop has been a must-see for any visitors looking to pick up a new hobby, or wanting to grab a glass of wine and watch other knitters or crocheters create works of art. The shop offers affordable classes for any skill level, private lessons, and workshops for special events.

Vintage Soul
If you’ve never met Julie Crawford, you’re missing out on one of the most bubbly and welcoming personalities in Dripping Springs. Whether you’re in her Mercer Street shop or watching her weekly “Try-on Tuesday” Instagram stories, Julie makes everyone feel confident in her clothes and accessories. And let’s be honest, everyone loves information about true garment sizing before you try it on or buy online.

Starrs on Mercer
Two sisters with zero retail experience collaborated in 2015 to build a bustling “modern day department store” on Mercer Street. Born out of a love for shopping and convenience, Starrs on Mercer is a one-stop shop for women’s, men’s, and baby clothing, plus accessories, and gifts. The Starr sisters have since opened a travel agency, Starrs On The Go, to expand their endeavors.

Treaty Oak Distilling
You can’t write about Dripping Springs without including some popular distilleries. When it was founded in 2006, Treaty Oak says it was only the fourth distillery operating in the state. The distillery sits on a 28-acre property on Fitzhugh Road with plenty of space for children to explore while you sit back and enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail. Tours of the distillery are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and classes are available on select Saturdays every month.

Desert Door Distillery
What was once a barren plot of land on Darden Hill Road has now developed into the only sotol distillery in the United States. Desert Door hosts a range of live music weekly, offers tours on weekends, and also has a rental space for private events. With a variety of cocktails and tacos made by James Beard award winner Jesse Griffiths and Spoke Hollow Steward, it’s definitely a go-to for any day trip itinerary.

Photo courtesy of Foster Farm & Ranch.

Utopian 12-acre Hill Country retreat hits the market at $2.5M

UTOPIA ON THE WATER

Have you ever wanted to buy a retreat? Now’s your chance; A remarkable 12-acre property on the Sabinal River in Utopia, Texas, has hit the market for $2.5 million.

As investors are snatching up properties left and right for the next wedding venue or event space, the Utopia River Retreat is the next hidden gem in a booming wedding industry. The Knot estimated in 2022 that a Texas couple’s average wedding budget is $27,000. The website also estimates that 30 percent of a couple's wedding budget goes toward a perfect venue for their special day.

The next owners of the retreat can continue to provide couples with a naturally beautiful Hill Country experience — one that’s continued for over a century. The property's legacy as a wedding destination began with the first wedding ceremony in 1861. The only structure on the land at the time was a stone fort, which has since been converted into the “Fortress," a lodge that can sleep 12 guests.

Other features of the Fortress include:

  • Two master suites
  • Three semi-private lofts
  • Full kitchen
  • Fireplace
  • Wrap-around porch
  • Original stonework on display

The retreat also boasts nine guest cabins in addition to the Fortress. Each cabin has its own full kitchen, living space, and covered porch. Three cabins have two bedrooms that can host up to six guests, and six cabins are single-bedrooms that can sleep up to four guests.

Another highlighted feature of the property is the renovated hay barn. The previous owners turned it into a bespoke event space with an open floor plan, wood beam ceilings, a stone fireplace, and attached deck. Also around the barn is a large green space and a covered gazebo with a breathtaking view of the Sabinal River.

The Utopia River Retreat sale is facilitated by Chad Foster, the founder and broker of Uvalde-based real estate group Foster Farm and Ranch.

“With its current amenities and space for expansion, Utopia River Retreat provides potential buyers with a lot of entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Foster in a press release. “The event space, cabins, and renovated fort make Utopia River Retreat a great addition to any real estate portfolio.”

Even outside of wedding season, the property can host many events such as family vacations, reunions, and corporate retreats. The town of Utopia is located about 140 miles southwest of Austin. Austinites may be familiar with the area thanks to the long-running Utopiafest that used to offer live music and camping.

More information about the property can be found at the utopiariverretreat.com, and more information about the listing can be found at fosterfarmandranch.com.

Photo courtesy of lookthinkmake.

Hill Country nature preserve steps up conservancy efforts with new wildlife plans

CONNECT WITH MOTHER NATURE

A Hill Country park is getting some new features and wildlife this year. The Horseshoe Bay Nature Park, located 60 miles northwest of Austin, will be expanding their conservancy this year through the use of new signage, bee populations, and owls.

The 11-acre park was doomed to become a high-density development by investors until the local community gathered to create HSB Park Inc., a nonprofit organization that would save the land instead. The park opened to the public last year and has since evolved from its fragile state to a place where residents can get closer to nature.

In its first year of operation, the park planted $1,500 worth of Texas wildflower seeds, such as Indian blanket, sleepy daisy, standing cypress, and more. The park also received a $17,571 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) to install 15 interpretive signs with QR codes around the park.

Since its opening, naturalists were able to identify over 235 species of plants and wildlife in the area, which would have never been possible without the local community’s dedication to conservation. Bird watchers identified several native Texas birds such as herons, orchard orioles, bluebirds, and northern cardinals.

Horseshoe Bay Nature Park’s plans for 2023 are to install new signage educating visitors about the park’s wildlife geology, water conservation, and plants along a half-mile walking trail. They also plan to introduce honey bees throughout the region and work towards attracting screech owls to two constructed owl boxes.

More information about the park can be found on their website.

Photo courtesy of Carter Creek Winery Resort

First-of-its-kind Hill Country resort blends acclaimed Texas winery, brewery, and spa

Texas getaways

When he’s a beer-loving outdoor enthusiast and she’s a wine-loving spa junkie, agreeing on plans for a quick Hill Country getaway can be tricky. My husband likes to spend the day climbing hills in state parks; I’d rather climb on and off a wine tour bus. He hunts down hoppy craft beer in town; I search for lavender bath products.

So a new(ish) Hill Country resort with our vacation trifecta - winery, brewery, and spa - beckoned to us for a weekend away. Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa stands high on a hill overlooking U.S. Hwy. 290, just off a swerve-fast-or-you’ll-miss-it exit outside Johnson City.

Thirty miles east of Fredericksburg, it’s along a stretch of the famous “Texas wine road” between Johnson City and Stonewall that’s become an attractive destination for a slightly more laid-back oenophile experience. (Locals are quick to make Napa-Sonoma comparisons.)

Carter Creek Family Winery has been bottling wines in the area since 2016, and they come with fine Texas pedigree: Head winemaker is Jon McPherson, son of Texas wine industry pioneer "Doc" McPherson and brother of renowned winemaker Kim McPherson. Jon McPherson has teamed up with winemaker Javier Flores to turn out award-winning Carter Creek wines for several years.

In December 2019, owners Jim and Dawn Carter opened Carter Creek Winery Resort in Johnson City as a sister property to their South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula, California. Knowing how much Texans like their beer, they say, they threw in a microbrewery, too. The Hill Country resort debuted with a winery and two tasting rooms, onsite brewery, restaurant, seasonal smokehouse, outdoor events center, and 78 luxe private villas.

Then COVID-19 hit weeks later and shut it all down.

As restrictions loosened and tourists came back to the area, the owners continued with their plans, finally adding a long-anticipated spa in summer 2022.

Carter Creek now has the only spa in the eastern section of the Hill Country. It’s also the only winery resort with a brewery in the area.

Rooms and brews
After a longer-than-usual drive from Fort Worth to Johnson City (who knew Marble Falls and Burnet had rush-hour traffic?), we checked into villa #2704, our own private palace: separate living room and bedroom, two 55-inch flat screen TVs and an electric fireplace, bathroom with double vanity, and porch with seating area.

We couldn’t help but compare this $209-per-night Hill Country castle to more high-profile Texas hotel-resorts — with tiny rooms — that cost double or triple as much. We were also thankful our quiet villa was one of the farthest back from the highway.

A (recommended) dinner reservation at the resort's Old 290 Brewery Restaurant awaited, just a short walk down a well-lit path across the property. “Old 290” refers to the road that runs along the resort — the actual old 290 road to Fredericksburg from Johnson City.

Here, head brewmeister Justin Zimmerman crafts award-winning small-batch light ales, medium-bodied pale ales, and stouts. Folks were buzzing about his Hell Raiser Bourbon Brown, aged for two months in nearby Garrison Brothers Bourbon Barrels, which won a coveted gold medal in the Fredericksburg Craft Beer Festival last summer. His El Bigote Mexican Lager took home a bronze.

The brewery’s adjacent Hill Country-fine dining restaurant serves the steaks, burgers, and CFS Texas diners demand, with some cheffy twists. The Old 290 Bison Burger, for instance, is topped with brie cheese, tomato bacon jam, horseradish pickles, and crispy onions on a pretzel bun. At a breakfast buffet, “Chef Trey” cooked eggs to order for every guest.

Over housemade garlic knots with tomato garlic compound butter, my husband sampled a flight of Old 290 beers — the IPA earned a rave from the self-proclaimed "hophead" — and I tried Carter Creek wine for the first time. (Tip: Take advantage of the free samples offered before committing to a glass.)

Without evening plans, we’d considered driving 30 miles to legendary Luckenbach to enjoy some live music. No need. A local musician entertained on the restaurant’s stage for hours. Outside, guests gathered around fire pits on the patio and played cornhole on the lush lawn that doubles as a wedding venue with beautiful vistas.

Spa with panache
The next morning, I arrived far too early for my facial and had the intimate spa all to myself. The 1,500-square-foot Carter Creek Spa might be small, but it’s got a mighty name behind it. Spa director Gülçin Johnson is a well-respected aesthetician with an eponymous skincare line called Gülçin Johnson Botanicals carried at top spas across the country.

Carter Creek Spa offers a variety of massages, body treatments, facials, and foot reflexology treatments for individuals or couples. A dry sauna, outdoor pool, and hot tub are just steps away. While priority is given to resort patrons, the spa welcomes day guests for appointments, too.

My refreshing, 50-minute Carter Creek Classic Facial — featuring some Eminence Organic products I've long loved — ended with a glass of crisp Muscat Canelli wine in the relaxation area. (So what if it was not quite 11 am?)

Wine time
An afternoon wine tasting revealed that, unlike other Hill Country wineries with lists as long as a Cheesecake Factory menu, Carter Creek zeroes in on a handful and does them well — currently, four whites, four reds, a rose, a sparkling, and two dessert wines.

The winemakers lean into European varietals, producing crisp whites such the popular Gloriosa ($24), a not-too-sweet blend of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Muscat Canelli; and complex reds, such as the top-selling Maverick ($39), a Rhone-style blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Viognier.

Carter Creek also makes a Sparkling Peach ($35) that’s such a sensation, they have trouble keeping it in stock. It also has a fun backstory: When the Carters asked Jon McPherson — a master winemaker with special expertise in sparkling wines — to create a peach sparkler as a nod to the Hill Country, it took some arm-twisting. He wasn’t going to make some cloying hot-tub sipper, he told them; he would make it his way, as a “serious” wine.

A blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, and Pinot Noir results in a lightly sweet, refreshingly crisp and only slightly “peachy” bubbly. It won Double Gold at the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, in fact.

We couldn’t resist purchasing a bottle, along with three other favorites. (Looking back, we should have joined the wine club on the spot and saved 25 percent; there was no pressure to do so.)

Outdoors and out-of-this-world
After spa-ing and sipping, it was time for an outdoor adventure together. Pedernales Falls State Park was just a picturesque, 30-minute drive away. We laced up our hiking boots and drove down hilly backroads to the park, where my husband’s handy Texas State Parks Pass got us in free.

On this sunny afternoon, a lot of other people had the same idea. We hiked out to the famous river rocks - mostly dry after a season with little rain. To break from the crowds, we sat for a spell in the bird blind and viewed bright red cardinals a chirpy finches darting around the trees.

At dusk, we drove up to the park’s star theater for a stargazing session led by a state park ranger. While we bundled up in a blanket and gazed up at the stars, “Ranger Steve” laser-pointed to constellations and recounted their humorous and harrowing origin stories.

Then, he paused and told us to look up at a blinking light streaking overhead. We waved hello to the International Space Station as it cruised by for four minutes, then disappeared among the million stars in the night sky.

We left the Hill Country, this time, having sampled a bit of everything we were craving - wine, beer, pampering, and nature.

Everything, that is, except bluebonnets. Now, to plan that spring wildflower excursion.

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Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa, 4064 W. U.S. Highway 290, Johnson City. Rates start at $209, plus $19 per-night resort fees. Discounts available for AAA, AARP, and more. Family-friendly and pet-friendly. Check website for days and hours at tasting room, restaurant, and spa.

Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa

Photo courtesy of Carter Creek Winery Resort

Carter Creek Winery Resort opened in the just-before-covid month of December 2019.

Photo courtesy of ECPR

545-acre development in Northwest Austin suburb gets county approval

LIFE IN LUXURY COMING SOON

It’s no secret that Austin’s rapid growth over the years has created a need for more housing, and one development company has headed west to accomplish this. Luxury real estate developer Areté Collective received approval from Burnet County for preliminary development plans for about 545 acres of Thomas Ranch lands in Spicewood, just northwest of Austin.

Located just half an hour from downtown Austin, Thomas Ranch is a 2,200-acre master-planned community that aims to provide “new and innovative housing options to the Greater Austin area,” according to Areté Collective CEO and co-founder Rebecca Buchan in a release. The initial plat, or property line maps, includes arrangements for 43 residential lots on nearly 27.5 acres of land, with the remaining acreage set aside for future development expansions on Thomas Ranch.

One of the milestone goals highlighted by Buchan is the collective's ability to make significant progress on the project after its acquisition just over a year ago. When it’s finished, Thomas Ranch will have 3,500 new housing units, a private club and golf course, schools, a resort hotel, and 250,000 square feet of commercial space for Austin businesses and restaurants in an anticipated walkable downtown district.

“We are committed to bringing a global expertise to collaborations with local leadership and business partners to benefit the local economy and community,” Buchan said in a statement.

Austinites will be able to take their pick from a variety of single- and multi-family homes, apartments, senior living, and affordable housing based at different price points. The ranch will also seek to provide residents with an “outdoor lifestyle” that displays the beauty of Lake Travis and the Hill Country, some of the most desirable Austin suburbs.

The final approval process for the Thomas Ranch development will begin later this year, after which the first sale of 450 private residential units will take place. More information about the development can be found at thomasranchtx.com.

An overview look at undeveloped Thomas Ranch

Photo courtesy of ECPR

Thomas Ranch will add 3,500 new housing units once the development is finished.

Photo by Leonid Furmansky, courtesy of coXist

Austin Modern Home Tour extends to the Hill Country with spectacular 2-day showcase

MODERN LUXURY

Modern design lovers, architecture buffs, and those looking for a unique home builder will have a chance to explore even more homes in the Central Texas area at this year’s Austin Modern Home Tour. The Modern Architecture + Design Society (MA+DS) has announced the addition of a second day to their 14th annual showcase at the end of February, giving the bonus day its own name, the Hill Country Modern Tour.

Taking place on February 25 and 26, the goal of the two tours is to showcase the talent and hard work of architects, designers, and developers around the Central Texas area. To date, over 9,000 people have attended the event. The tours also serve as a networking and volunteer opportunity for students at Texas State University’s Interior Design program, the tour’s selected non-profit partner.

Visitors on the Austin leg of the self-guided tour will be able to view beautiful modern homes in Allandale, Bouldin Creek, Hyde Park, Zilker Park, and more, while the Hill Country Modern Tour will include homes in Driftwood, Wimberley, and Spicewood.

Cornerstone Architects, Tornbjerg Design, refuGe Design Studio, and Kelle Contine Interior Design are the Hill Country tour’s featured participants, while the full list of participants included on the Austin Modern Home Tour includes:

The Austin Modern Home Tour will take place on February 25 from 10 am to 6 pm, and the Hill Country Modern Tour will follow on February 26 from 10 am to 4 pm. Both tours are self-guided.

Tickets and more information about the tours can be found on Modern Architecture + Design Society’s website.

A modern home by coXist

Photo by Leonid Furmansky, courtesy of coXist

The Sculpture Residences are situated overlooking Dimension Gallery Sculpture Park in East Austin.

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Texas rises through the ranks of most innovative states, says new report

MOVING ON UP

The Lone Star State has again taken a step up on an annual report that ranks the most and least innovative states in the country — this time cracking the top 15.

Texas ranked No. 15 in personal finance site WalletHub's 2023’s Most and Least Innovative States ranking. It's a steady improvement for the state, which ranked No. 16 in 2022 and No. 17 in 2021.

The report analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia and how each performed across 22 key metrics, including population of STEM professionals, venture capital investment activity, number of technology companies, patents per capita, and more. The data was pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Science Foundation, National Center for Education Statistics, United States Patent and Trademark Office, and other records.

Here's how Texas performed at a glance:

  • No. 18 – for share of STEM professionals
  • No. 16 – for projected STEM job demand by 2030
  • No. 25 – for eighth grade math and science performance
  • No. 21 – for share of science and engineering graduates aged 25 or older
  • No. 13 – for share of technology companies
  • No. 31 – for R&D spending per capita
  • No. 18 – venture capital funding per capita

For the 11th year, Texas won Site Selection Magazine's Governor's Cup, the governor's office announced earlier this year. The award, which Texas has won 19 times since its inception in 1978, recognizes the nation’s top-performing state for job-creating business relocations and expansions.

"Texas truly is America’s economic engine, and we stand apart as a model for the nation. When choosing where to relocate or expand their businesses, more and more innovative industry leaders find themselves at home in our state," Governor Greg Abbott says in a news release about the award.

"I congratulate the exceptional economic development teams at the local, regional, and state level who have worked so diligently to attract and retain these growing businesses and the jobs they create in diverse communities across this great state," he continues.

The most innovative states included the District of Columbia, which ranked at No. 1, followed by Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, and California, respectively. The least innovative state was identified as Mississippi, followed by Louisiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Arkansas, respectively.



Source: WalletHub


Access to quality education is a significant contributor to each state's innovation economy, the experts say in the report.

"Investing in education, particularly K-12 but also at the University level, it is no accident that innovative ecosystems develop in states with strong education systems and research universities," says David L. Deeds, professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. "These institutions build strong capable modern workforces that attract capital, and jobs and create innovations. The benefits do not happen overnight, in fact, they take years if not decades, but consider what The UC’s or the University of Texas at Austin have meant for the development of premier innovative ecosystems."

Austin's meat palace Fogo de Chao expands its menu with new plant-based options

Vegan News

Well, here's a twist: Fogo de Chão, the churrascuria-style restaurant concept from Brazil known for its dedication to meat, is expanding its menu in an unprecedented new direction: They're adding tofu.

Effective immediately, the restaurant will offer new plant-based and nutrient-dense dishes, alongside an enhanced Bar Fogo beverage list that has new non-alcoholic craft cocktails made with low-proof spirits (less than 0.5 percent alcohol).

Fogo CEO Barry McGowan says in a release that they're responding to demand from their younger, more health-conscious customers.

"Our young and dynamic guests consider themselves food explorers who seek new culinary discoveries with each visit,” McGowan says. “For nearly 45 years we’ve had nutrient-dense and plant-forward dining options for every occasion and dietary tribe throughour Market Table. With the rollout of our new dining choices and clean cocktails, we continue to offer our guests the variety and discoveries they crave while doing it in a wholesome and flavorful way.”

The Market Table is their famed salad bar, which has sated many a vegetarian diner or else those just not up for the whole skewered meat thing that is a trademark of Fogo and other churrascuria-style places.

Entrees
Two new plant-based innovations will join Fogo's existing Vegetarian and Pescatarian dishes such as the Cauliflower Steak, and will be available on the main dining menu available for lunch, brunch, and dinner as an alternative to the Full Churrasco Experience, as follows:

  • Seared Tofu with Miso Black Bean Pasta - Chimichurri-marinated tofu served atop black bean pasta sautéed with green onion, Napa cabbage, pickled onions and carrot ginger-miso dressing. Vegan and gluten-free.
  • Roasted Power Vegetable Bowl - Roasted eggplant, marinated mushrooms, roasted zucchini, asparagus, and baby peppers served with chimichurri spinach rice. Vegan and gluten-free.

togo power bowlRoasted Power Vegetable Bowl at Fogo de Chao.Photo courtesy of Fogo de Chao

They're also rolling out new dishes on the Market Table which for the past 45 years has showcased nutrient-dense and flavorful choices including seasonal salads, micro greens, natural and plant-based proteins, imported charcuterie, and more.

New items on the Market Table are as follows:

  • Spring Hummus - Fresh hummus blended with herbs, roasted garlic and citrus, topped with radish, fresh mint, edamame, and olive oil.
  • Baby Kale & Mango Salad - Fresh baby kale, Napa cabbage, red radish and mango, tossed in a lime honey dressing.
  • Miso Black Bean Pasta - Gluten-free black bean pasta tossed with green onion, Napa cabbage, pickled onions and carrot ginger-miso dressing.
  • Apple Manchego Salad - Granny Smith apples and Manchego cheese tossed with honey, cracked pepper and black mission figs.
  • Power Greens - A seasonal mix of vitamin-rich greens, fresh herbs and micro-shoots

The Bar
The Bar Fogo menu now features five new cocktails, including three made with Clean Co’s non-alcoholic spirits with less than 0.5% alcohol, as follows:

  • Yellowbird - Desolas Mezcal, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Cointreau, La Marca Prosecco
  • Espresso Martini - Diplomatico Reserva Rum, Caffe Borghetti and Licor 43
  • Clean Cosmo - CleanCo V (Vodka) Apple, Cranberry, Fresh Lemon
  • CleanR Sour - CleanCo R (Rum), Passionfruit, Pineapple, Aquafaba, Bitters
  • Clean Cucumber Martini - CleanCo V (Vodka) Apple, Cucumber, Basil, Lemon Twist

Founded in southern Brazil in 1979, Fogo has seven other locations across Texas: Addison, Uptown Dallas, Plano, Friendswood, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands.

City of Austin spikes weekend parking rates at Zilker Park

pay to play

Starting May 1, one of Austin's most popular parks will be increasing parking prices and start charging for parking in lots that were previously free.

At Zilker Park, the parking lots that currently charge $5 for parking will be increased to $7 from May 1 through Labor Day.

The parking lot off of Stratford Road, just north of the Zilker Botanical Garden, and the South Barton Springs Pool parking lot, near Azie Morton Road, will start charging $7 on the weekends and holidays.

Both of these parking lots were havens for visitors and residents alike, as they were free to park. Park visitors like P.K. Luangsingotha liked that parking was free at the lot off Stratford. Luangsingotha said he is not happy that he will have to start paying to park.

"I believe people should be out enjoying the parks, the sunlight, et. cetera, and not have to [pay]. I mean, the City is already making so much money as it [is]. Now trying to tax people more on parking — I think it’s kind of unfair. Just my opinion," Luangsingotha said.

Hailey Adams, an Austin resident, also enjoys coming to Zilker and the free parking near Stratford with her dog. Come May, Adams may adjust the activities she participates in at Zilker due to the cost of parking.

“I definitely want more of a [full-day] activity, versus sometimes [coming] for 30 minutes," Adams said.

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department said it hopes charging at the parking lots will help with traffic issues.

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Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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